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Show SMl'IIGLIVO m THE MTT. Tile return of the "Omaha" and "riwaUta" from the Ailatlo ttatlou to Mare Iilaud without lusliig umler lutctlon, and the later discovery of a fuanilly of dutiable goods aluird, have started a controvenlal breeie thatlilhitalenlngto lured a cyclone. I n thlt particular case the fault tor tin to fall In great inraiureupon tho cut. tomt onicert at Han 1'ranritco. At the same lime the navy olllcert are far from 11 ng eionerated from blamh The accunrt have not yet ifone ao far aa to rove oonclutlvrly that the United Hlale navy It engaged In a general smuggling limlnee fur Ihe trade, although the chargre from high imartrrt all but assert at much. Whrn the bill for transferring the revenue marine to the navy waa under iIIm-umIoii, Henator Hherman'a successful success-ful o position to Its -Mussgu waa on the ground that the navy uttlcert were habitual amufglera and ought not to It. entruited with llio enforcement of the revenue laws. Tl e following la from hit remarks on that occasion: "If rr utatlnn la not alaaya at bull, the naval ofarere are generally au jao, to lie the largest smugglers In our country, coun-try, In roportlon to tbclr number, tint tho lloa of pulling a naval officer to guard our ral agalutt siiiuirglhig Is st least ralbrr a strange one for an ollaall. I suppose there la s. arrely a naral vewl that miea Into our purls but what bat guilds tbst under the ttrlot ruling! of tho tres.ury would be subject lo duty." Mr ltsy-"l should like to ask lbs senator (loin Ohio If lint uli.,l..u amngnllng which ha hiiis lo think It ctiiignl In by naval offlrers Is a part of the blgli function from which no are going to call IIh in when e trsntfr tliem toreienuedut)!" Mr. Hbsrmsn-"! ihlnk thry will stick to their high function of smuggling mure than ihsy ll to Uxir uewdi lyorgusrd Ing sgslutt smuggling v retsnue insrlu nnlrer eannni enter a war vessel of the t'nllnl Slates an I llut It as lit wuuld s niiuiiinn-lal rrsel,aud the result Is tbst msuy things art brought In here without laying duly " Hruutor Hlierumo, has tern Hecrrtary of the Treasury aud Is good authority on this mattir. Though his tharie In re may In the heat of argument have been more or lew esaggerated, with all iolU allowame enough rtiuelns upon which tu Use YUy boUsrnut scandal. The olllclal reiort of the Investigation lu this rueut BJBBaBBjBJBJBBttf- t BJpjsj rj( Adair at Mare Island may bo expected lo throw a little new light on that case and probably others. It It not ton much to say that light It needed badly. The olllcert of the navy are Just aa nirjrh auljcct to the cutlomt lawt aa aro private citizens. There la nothing In their olllclal commltilona that should In the slightest drgrre shield them from the regular contei-uencet of lawless actions. On tho other hand the utlllon they hold iresupiwsca Ihem czamr lea to the clllirln of obedience obedi-ence to established laws. The elTect of such Uicloturr as the one at Mare Island It humiliating to Ihu govern-tnent, govern-tnent, hut It It a vrholesomo scandal. |
